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History

Looking back through the history books, the first mention of the Cross Lances pub was in 1819 - when the "Signe of the Cross Lances" was erected on the Hanworth Road. At that time, Mr William Pool of Isleworth was the lease holder of the property and the Licensee.

William Pool employed John Brown as his manager. However, John Brown left in 1827 and was replaced by Mr John Stephenson as the licensee / manager.

Drama unfolded in 1830, when John Stephenson was arrested and charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Mrs Jane Stephenson. He was brought before Bow-Street Magistrate Court, London.

Stephenson was described as a man between forty and fifty years of age, and had the appearance of a farmer. Opening the proceedings, the Judge respectfully asked Mrs Stephenson what charge she intended to press against her husband. She replied “Why, your Worship, I consider it nothing less than an attempt to murder me with a knife!”

After hearing all the evidence the Judge summed up by saying that both the prisoner and his wife had had a very lucky escape, and as he considered it extremely dangerous for the prisoner to be at large, he should take care to have responsible bail. John Stephenson was given a severe warning, with a fine to the sum of 200s and two other sureties of 100s each.

In November 1891, the then owners of the pub, Elizabeth and Charles Hamilton decided to lease out The Cross Lances to Messrs’ Fuller, Smith and Turner of the Griffin Brewery, Chiswick. Eventually, in 1927, the pub was purchased outright by Fuller, Smith and Turner for £2,000, and still remains their property to this day.

A full history and an account of the pub is available on request from behind the bar.

The Cross Lances has been part of the Fuller’s family for more than a century – ever since it was leased to three gentlemen named Fuller, Smith and Turner way back in 1891…